Valve structure



Nov. 13, 1962 R. D. GRAYSON ETAL 3,063,639

VALVE STRUCTURE Filed June 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 7 3nventers,

A520) NEWTON I 70 6 4 Z; z a l a 65' I 6'; W attorney United States Patent 3,063,639 VALVE STRUCTURE Richard D. Grayson, La Canada, and Leroy Newton, Pomona, Calif., assignors to General Controls Co., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,380 10 Claims. (Cl. 236-21) This invention relates to valve structures for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner, and more particularly to valve structures which comprise an automatically or thermostatically operated valve for the burner.

So that supply of gas to the burner can be shut-oif independently of the thermostatic valve, it has been customary to provide in series with the thermostatic valve an additional valve, usually of the rotary plug or gascock type.

An object of this invention is to avoid the necessity of providing an additional valve for manual shut-off of the gas, and we accomplish this object by providing novel manually-operable means for cramming, or forcibly closing, the thermostatic valve in the event that it is then, in thermostatically-opened condition, or for maintaining it closed.

Gas-burner control devices of the kind to which this invention relates usually include a safety valve arranged in series with the thermostatic valve and normally maintained open (after being opened manually) by means responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner, such as the existence of flame at a pilot burner for igniting a main burner, or boiler pressure below a high limit It is another object of this invention to provide unitary means for opening or resetting the safety valve, and for cramming the thermostatic valve closed so that no gas can pass to the main burner during the resetting operation.

Another object is to provide manually operable means for tripping the safety valve to closed position and for concurrently cramming the thermostatic valve closed to provide additional shut-off of the gas in the event that it is desired to discontinue operation of the burner.

Another object is to provide means manually rotatable in opposite directions from an On position, for operating the thermostatic-valve crammer and arranged so that the crammer is effective when the rotatable means is in any position other than its On position.

Another object is to provide resilient means forcing the crammer toward active position, and means for rendering the resilient means ineffective so that automatic operation of the thermostatic valve is then permitted.

Another object is to provide a compact coaxial arrangement of parts for accomplishing the aforementioned objects.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, and from the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a water-heater control device embodying features of this invention, the upper part of the figure being shown with the front cover 62 and dial 65 removed, the lower part being in section;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are sections taken, respectively, along the lines 22 and 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation, to reduced scale, of the control device; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of the structure as shown in FIG. 2 but with parts in moved position and shown in elevation.

In the drawing the numeral 11 indicates a valve casing having an inlet connection 12 and an inlet chamber 1-3 through whose top wall is a valve port 14. Cooperable with a valve seat 15 around the lower end of this port is a closure 16 having a stem 17, a portion of the stern extending upwardly through the port into a large chamber 18 which forms an extension of the inlet chamber 13 when port 14 is open as shown, as is the case during normal operation of the control device as will be described.

At its upper end the stem 17 is guided in an opening through the top portion of an inverted U-shaped bracket 19 projecting integrally from the back wall 20 of the casing. Projecting laterally from stem 17 near its top, and disposed bet-ween the side portions of bracket 19 (see FIG. 2), is an abutment member 21 whose purpose will be described later.

In the bottom of inlet chamber 13-, and coaxial with port 14, is a bore 22 in whose outer end a fitting 23 is threaded. Mounted on top of this fitting, by means of a rivet 24 in a central opening 25 through the fitting and electrically insulated from the same, is a U-shaped electromagnet core 26 having a pair of energizing coils 27 electrically connected to the rivet and to the fitting. The opening 25 is threaded for an electrical connector (not shown) whereby the electromagnet can be connected to a thermoelectric generating device 28 shown schematically in FIG. 4.

The electromagnet 26-27 cooperates with (so as to hold magnetically) an armature 29 having a stem 30 which protrudes sealingly through the top of a capsule 31 surrounding the electromagnet and armature and isolating them from fuel gas in the inlet chamber The armature-stem 30 is joined to the closure-stem 17 for movement therewith, and inasmuch as the electromagnet is in energized condition as shown in the drawing, the armature and the parts connected thereto are held magnetically in depressed position against the force of a spring 32 compressed between closure 16 and the top of capsule 31 and urging the closure upwardly toward its seat 15. This electromagnet is not adapted to attract the armature through space and so the armature, subsequent to its release if and when the electromagnet is deenergized, must be returned mechanically into engagement with core 26 to effect resetting and holding-open of the inlet closure 16.

In the upper part of the control device is a thermostatically operated valve for controlling flow of gas from chamber 18 to a main-outlet passage 37. As is best seen in FIG. 2 (and in FIG. 5) this outlet valve comprises a closure 38 cooperable with a valve seat 39 around an annular recess 40 in a thickened portion of the back wall 20 of the casing, this recess being in direct communication with the outlet passage 37. Closure 38 has a tubular stem 41 guided in an opening coaxial with recess 40 and leading to a cylindrical cavity 42 in the back of the casing. Inside this cavity is a snap-action arrangement for operating closure 38 and comprising a snap-disk or clicker 43 cooperating with a pin 44 projecting from the end of closure-stem 41. This pin is urged outwardly from the stem by the force of a spring 45 inside the's-tem, outward movement of the pin being limited by engagement of its headed inner end with a bushing 46 threaded in the stem. The spring 45 does not yield in normal thermostatic operation of closure 38, but is adapted to do so when this closure is moved manually toward its seat 39 (by means to be described later) in opposition to the thermostatic operating means. The snap-disk 43 is supported at its periphery on a wire ring 47 and is backed by a plate 48 having an annular knife-edge 49 engaging the snap-disk inwardly of its support.

As is best seen in FIG. 3, the thermostatic operator comprises a thermostat 50 of the well-known rod and tube type mounted in an opening through a boss 51 on the 3 outside of a dished plate 52 secured to the back of the valve casing 11. The boss 51 is screw threaded externally for attachment in an opening in a hot-water tank (not shown) so as to support the control device on the tank. It is to be assumed that the thermostat 50 is in contact with vthe water in the tank and that under the control of the thermostat as is supplied through the control device to a burner, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4 at 53, for heating the water.

The thermostat 50 comprises a rod 54 projecting scalingly into a space 55 between plate 52 and the back of the valve casing, the pointed tip of the rod being disposed in a conical recess 56 in a lever 57 whose rounded upper end 58 bears against the plate 48 at the back of the snapdisk 43. At its lower end the lever 57 is fulcrumed on the end of a screw 59 threaded in an opening in the back wall of the casing and extending sealingly to the front of the casing where it is provided with a dial 69 having markingsvindicating the temperature setting of the thermostat as determined by the adjusted position of the fulcrum (end of screw 59) of lever 57.

The thermostat rod 54 is of metal having a very low coelficient of thermal expansion (such as the alloy Invar), while the other element of the thermostat is a tube 61 of metal having a relatively high coefiicient of expansion (such as brass) surrounding the rod and secured thereto at its outer end (not shown). With rise of temperature of the water in the tank the tube expands and eifects withdrawal of the rod so that the lever 57 rocks counterclockwise under the force of the snap-disk 43 until the same finally snaps back to its normal shape (bowed iii a direction opposite to that shown) wherein the closure 38 is free to returnto seated position. With subsequent fall of temperature at the thermostat, the consequent inward movement of rod 54 rocks lever 57 clockwise and thereby snaps the disk 43 back to its closure-opening shape. x

The front wall of the control device is formed by a removable cover-plate 62. Rotatably and sealingly mounted in an opening in this plate, on the axis of operative movement of closure 38, is a relatively-wide arm 63 having a hub portion 64 to the outer end of which a dial 65 is attached, the hub and dial being conformingly splined and held together by a screw 66.

The arm 63 has in its outer end a notch at the opposite sides of which is a pair of brackets 67 (FIG. 1) supporting a pin 68 on which one end of a sheet-metal lever 69 is pivoted. This lever extends across the axis of closure '38 and has an embossed portion 70 (FIG. 2) engageable by a boss 71. on the closure when the same is in its open position as shown in FIG. 2. Compressed between lever 69 and closure 38 is a light spring 72 for causing following movement of the closure to seated position when, as has been described, the disk 43 snaps back to its normal shape with rise of temperature at the thermostat 50.

Disposed in part in a recess in the hub portion 64 of arm 63 is a relatively powerful spring 73 engaging lever 69 and urging the free end of same toward the back of the structure; However, when arm 63 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1- and 2 such movement of lever 69 is prevented by a pair of side arms 74 (FIG. 1) of the lever whose tips then rest on the peak of wedge-shaped cams 75 projecting from the back wall of the casing. There is a shallowno'tch 76 (FIG. 1) in the peak of each of the cams receiving the V-shaped tips of arms 74.

If, by manipulation of dial 65, the arm 63 is rotated in either direction from its On? position as shown in FIGS. 1-3 (and as indicated in FIG. 4 by this legend on the dial registeringwith the reference point) so that arms 74 are outof engagement with the cams 75, the lever 69 rocks under the forceof spring 73 and force or crams the closure38to its'seat, the spring 45 inside the closure stern yielding (under the superior force of spring 73) to permit such seating of the closure if the snap-disk is then inclo'sure-opening shape. Such a condition is indicated in FIG. which shows the parts in the positions assumed when the dial is turned part-way toward its Reset position.

At its right-hand end the lever 69 has a bent T-shapcd portion 77 (FIG. 5) cooperating with a notched extension 78 of hub 64 and resisting lateral movement of the free end of the lever. The cross-bar of the T limits a rocking of the lever before the parts are assembled in the control device.

Projecting integrally from the inner surface of arm 63 is a pair of lugs 79 and 80 adapted to engage the abutment member 21 on stem 17 of closure 16 when this arm is rotated. By turning the dial 65 clockwise toward its Olf position the lug 79 on arm '63 is brought into engagement with the underside of abutment member 21 and, by continued movement, the armature 29 (connected through stem 30 to the closure-stem 17) is pulled away from the electromagnet core 26, permitting these parts to move upwardly imder the force of spring 32 and effect seating of closure 16. If the dial is subsequently turned in counterclockwise direction toward Reset position, the other lug 80 engages the top surface of abutment member 21 and continued movement of the dial efiects return of the armature into engagement with the core.

With the parts in the positions shown in FIGS. 1-4 gas can pass into chamber 18 through the inlet or safety valve constituted by closure 16, which closure is held in open position due to energization of electromagnet 26-27 by current generated by the thermocouple 28 whose hot junction is exposed to the flame of a pilot burner 86 (FIG. 4), this flame serving also for igniting the main burner 53.

While the safety valve is open, gas is supplied to the pilot burner by way of an opening 87 through a wall 88 which provides a compartment 89 at the right of chamber 18. This compartment contains at its front a filter 90 having notches 91 (FIG. 2) in its front edge through which notches the gas enters the filter, the gas passing from the filter downwardly through a passage '92 to a pilot-burner connection 93. In passage 92 is a rotary valve 94 for adjusting flow of gas to the pilot burner.

The closure 38 of the thermostatic valve also being open as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the gas then passes through the thermostatic valve from chamber 18 and downwardly through the main-outlet passage 37 to a connection 95 for the main burner. For adjusting maximum rate of how to the main burner there is, in passage 37, a valve 96 of the rotary-vane or butterfly type, the operating end of this valve being accessible by removal of dial 60. The bearing opening, in the back wall of the casing, for valve 96 is sealed by a disk 97 (FIG. 3).

In normal operation of the control device, as in the control of a water heater, the closure 38 is automati cally snapped open and closed by the thermostat 50 in response to corresponding variation of its temperature.

In the event of closing of the safety valve due to extinguishment of the flame of the pilot burner 86 and resultant cessation of current flow through electromagnet 26-27, flow of gas to the main burner and the pilot burner is shut-01f, To reinitiate normal operation of the burner the dial 65 is turned in counter-clockwise direction to bring lug 80 into engagement with the abutment member 21 on the safety-valve closure stem. However, before that occurs the side arms 74 of lever 69 will have moved away from earns 75 so that, under the force of spring 73, this lever crams the thermostatic-valve closure 38 to its seat in the event that it is then in automaticallyopened condition, as normally would be the case because of extinguishment of the main burner when the safety valve closed.

Continued counterclockwise rotation of the dial to its Reset position effects, through lug 80, movement of the armature 29 into contact with the pole faces of the electromagnet. While holding the dial in Reset position, the gas then flowing through the open safety valve to the pilot valve (only) is ignited, so that after a short interval the current generated by the thermocouple becomes suflicient to cause the electromagnet to hold the safety valve open. Thereupon the dial is returned to its On position wherein the cramming lever 69 is raised, by cams 75, out of engagement with the automatic-valve closure so that automatic operation of that closure is then permitted.

If, in the resetting operation, the dial is released before the electromagnet is sufliciently energized, the dial can rotate freely under the force of the safety-valve spring 32, to permit reclosing of the safety valve, since the cams 75 are engaged by the lever side-arms 74 only when the dial is closely adjacent its On position.

"Inasmuch as rotation of the dial through a small angle in either direction from its On position effects cramming of the automatic valve closed but does not affect flow to the pilot burner, flow to the main burner can be shut-oft by such rotation of the dial and reestablished by returning the dial to On position. While such operations are desirable in connection with the control of an ordinary space-heater or the like, they are normally not performed in connection with the control of a water heater, and so the dial shown in the drawing has not been provided with a legend to indicate a Main Burner OflPilot Burner On position.

'If it is desired to discontinue operation of the burner for some length of time, the dial is rotated in clockwise direction toward its Ofi position so that the other lug 79 on arm 63 engages the underside of abutment member 21 and trips the safety valve to closed position. Flow through the control device is then shut-off both by the safety valve and by the crammed automatic valve.

The specific embodiment of our invention herein shown and described is obviously susceptible of modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we intend therefore that no limitation be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a valve structure for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage therethrough for said fuel and providing a valve seat around a portion of the passage; a valve for controlling flow through said passage and comprising a closure movable into and out of engagement with said seat; means, responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner, for operating said closure automatically in accordance with variation of said condition; said closureoperating means comprising means for applying force to the closure in a direction to open it, said force-applying means being yieldable to permit cramming of the closure to closed position when it is opened auotmatically; means manually rotatable to and away from an On position for influencing the operation of said closure; resilient means, adapted to eflect said cramming of the closure, carried by said rotatable means and operatively engaging the closure when the rotatable means is away from said On position; and cam means cooperable with said resilient means and arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means to its On position effects disengagement of the resilient means from the closure to permit automatic operation thereof.

2. A valve structure according to claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation of said rotatable means is generally along the axis of operative movement of said closure, and said resilient means comprises an arm pivoted on the rotatable means at a point remote trom said axis and biased toward operative engagement with the closure, a portion of said arm overlying the closure in all operative positions of the rotatable means.

3. In a valve structure for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage therethrough for said fuel; an automatic valve and a safety valve arranged in series in said passage; means responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner for operating said automatic valve automatically in accordance with variation of said condition, there being a yieldable connection between said operating means and the automatic valve arranged to permit cramming of this valve to closed position when it is opened automatically; resilient means adapted to eflect said cramming of the automatic valve; means biasing said safety valve to closed position; means manually rotatable toward one position to move said safety valve to open position and concurrently render said resilient means effective to cram said automatic valve closed; and means responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner for maintaining said safety valve in opened position only while said requisite condition exists; said manually rotatable means being arranged so that when it is rotated to another position it renders said resilient means ineffective, so that automatic operation of the automatic valve is then permitted.

4. In a valve structure for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage therethrough for said fuel; an automatic valve and a safety valve arranged in series in said passage; means responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner for operating said automatic valve automatically in accordance with variation of said condition, there being a yieldable connection between said operating means and the automatic valve arranged to permit cramming of this valve to closed position when it is opened automatically; means manually rotatable to and away from an On position for influencing the operation of said valves; resilient means, adapted to effect said cramming of the automatic valve, carried by said rotatable means and effective when the rotatable means is away from said On position; means biasing said safety valve to closed position; means operated by rotation of said rotatable means away from said On position for moving said safety valve to open position; means, responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner, for maintaining the safety valve in opened position only while said requisite condition exists; and cam means, engageable by said resilient means when the rotatable means is rotated to its On position, for rendering the resilient means then ineffective so that automatic operation of the automatic valve is permitted.

5 In a valve structuer for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage therethrough for said fuel and providing a valve seat around the passage adjacent each end thereof; an automatic valve and a safety valve for controlling flow through the passage and each comprising a closure movable into and out of engagement with an individual one of said seats; means, responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner, for operating said automatic-valve closure in accordance with variation of said condition and comprising means for applying fiorce to this closure in a direction to open it, said force-applying means being yeildable to permit cramming of the closure to closed position when it is opened automatically; means manually rotatable, on an axis generally along the axis of operative movement of said automatic-valve closure, to and away from an On position for influencing the operation of said valves; means biasing said safety-valve closure to closed position; a member projecting generally radially from said rotatable means and having a portion arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means away from its On position effects movement of said safety-valve closure to open position; means responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner and adapted to maintain the safety-valve closure in said open position only while said requisite condition exists; means, adapted to effect said cramming of the automatic-valve closure, carried by said member and operatively engaging this closure when the rotatable means is away from said On position; and means arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means to its On position eflects disengagement of said cramming means from the automaticvalve closure to permit automatic operation thereof.

. 6. In a valve structurefor controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage thereth'rough for said .fuel and providing a valve seat around the passage adjacent each end thereof; an automatic valve and a safety valve for controlling flow through the passage and each comprising a closure movable into and out of engagement with an individual one of said seats; means, responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner, for operating said automatic-valve closure in accordance with variation of said condition and comprising means for applying force to this closure in a direction to open it, said force-applying means being yieldable to permit cramming of the closure to closed position when it is opened automatically; means manually rotatable, on an axis generally along the axis of operative movement of said automatic-valve closure, to and away from an On position for influencing the operation of said valves; means biasing said safety-valve closure to closed position; a member projecting generally radially from said rotatable means and having a portion arranged so that rotation of the rotatable mean away from its On position effects movement of said safety-valve closure to open position; means responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner and adapted to maintain the safety-valve closure in said open position only while said requisite condition exists; an arm, adapted to effect said cramming of the automatic-valve closure, mounted on said member; mean arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means away from said On position efiects movement of said cramming arm into operative engagement with the automatic-valve closure; and means for rendering said armmoving means ineffective when the rotatable means is rotated to its On position, so that automatic operation of the automatic-valve closure is then permitted.

7. In a valve structure for controlling supply of gaseous fuel to a burner: a valve casing having a passage therethrough for said fuel and providing a valve seat around the passage adjacent each end'thereof; an automatic valve.

and a safety valve for controlling flow through the passage and each comprising a closure movable into and out of engagement with an individual one of said seats; means, responsive to a condition resulting from the operation of said burner, for operating said automatic-valve closure in accordance with variation of said condition and comprising means for applying force to this closure in 'a direction to open it, said force-applying means being yieldable to permit cramming of the closure to closed position when it is opened automatically; means manually rotatable to and away from an On position for influencing the operation of said valves; means biasing said safety-valve-closure to closed position; a member projecting generally radially from said rotatable means and having a portion arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means in one direction away from its On position effects movement of said safety-valve closure to open position; means responsive to a condition requisite for safe operation of the burner and capable of maintaining the safety-valve closure in said open position only while said requisite condition exists; an arm, adapted to effect said cramming of the automatic valve closure, mounted by one end on said member and operatively engaging this closure when the rotatable means is in any position other than its On" position; and cam means, engageable by said arm when the rotatable mean is rotated to its On position, for then eiiecting disengagement of the arm from the automatic-valve closure so that automatic operation of this closure is permitted.

8. A valve structure according to claim 7 wherein the axis of rotation of said rotatable means is generally along the axis of operative movement of said automatic-valve closure, and wherein said arm is mounted on said member at a point remote from said axis and i arranged so that a portion of the arm overlies the automatic-valve closure in all operative positions of the rotatable means.

9. A valve structure according to claim 8 wherein said arm is rigid and pivoted on said member, and there is a spring biasing the arm toward the closure.

10. Avalve structure according to claim 7 wherein said rotatable means is rotatable in opposite directions from its On" position, and said member has another portion arranged so that rotation of the rotatable means, in a direction opposite to that in which it is rotatable to effect opening of the safety-valve closure, effects movement of this closure to closed position.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,376,572 Burdick May 22, 1945 2,641,714 Betz Feb. 15, 1949 2,650,028 Grayson Aug. 25, 1953 2,690,873 Vaughn Oct. 5, 1954 2,696,877 Hollman Dec. 14, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,034,200 France Mar, 20, 1951 

